King 1.10.10 And king Salomon himselfe was most bountiful when he gaue Hiram king of Tyrus 20. Cities in the land of Galilee 1. King 9.11 And when he gaue to the Queene of Saba whatsoeuer she would aske besides that he gaue of his kingly liberalitie 1. King 10.13 And finally when as hee gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones and gaue Caedars as the wilde fig-trees which grow in great plentie on the plaine 1. King 10.27 Mordecay the Iew was highly honoured of Asuerus when he caused him to weare his owne royall apparell and to ride on his owne horse in the streets of the Citie and made Hammon a great Prince to proclaime before him Thus shall it be done vnto the man whom the King will honour Ester 6.11 Daniell the Prophet was greatly exalted of King Darius when as he made him chiefe ruler ouer 120. gouerners Dan. 6.1 The wise men of the East which might seeme to be great states or Potentates by their great giftes offered vnto our Sauiour precious presents euen gold incense and mirrh Mat. 3.11 Constantine the great that renowmed Emperour and Monarch of all the world greatly promoted and enriched the Church when as he bountifully bestowed vpon the same most liberall collations and donations large rents and reuenues ample landes and possessions and with al princely priuiledges and prerogatiues As also diuers others Godly and christian Kings and Queens in the like royall beneuolence and benificence haue followed his excellent example in shewing themselues foster fathers and noble nourcing mothers vnto the Church Finally many earthly princes haue notably exalted diuers of their wel-deseruing subiects and seruants by giuing vnto them great mannors and honours high degrees honourable dignities euen Lordshippes Earldomes and Duchies to make them the second persons of the Realmes but yet so as they alwaies reserued and preserued their owne crownes thrones and kingdomes vnto themselues But our Sauiour Christ Iesus who is the king of all kings the most mightie Soucraigne Monarch of heauen and earth who so farre surpasseth all worldly princes as the sunne doth the moone or starres heauen the earth and the creator the creature being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil calleth him a giuer of great things bestoweth nothing vpon those whom hee will prescree and promote honour and exalt but a crowne throne or kingdome surinounting them in greatnesse of reward as hee exceedoth and excelleth them in essence and power And no maruell is it if our Sauiour giue nothing els but a crowne as thinking all other things to be base for him to bestow vpon those to whom he promiseth any reward when as all principalities dominions and kingdomes are at his commaund and appointment and at whose feete all kings and princes shall lay downe their crownes mounds and scepters as hauing receiued the same before at his hands of which he so often ascertaineth assureth the elect and faithfull in his Gospell as Iob. 14. Feare not little flocke for my heauenly Father will giue you a kingdome Luk. 22. As my Father hath appointed vnto me a kingdome euen so doe I appoint vnto you Mat. 19. ye shall sit on twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Finally neuer doth our Sauiour or his Apostles offer and profer in the name and person of Christ any reward vnto the righteous but it is either a crowne a throne or kingdome as it may appeare euerie where in the Gospels of the Euangelists and Epistles of the Apostles So gracious alwaies is God in his gifts so rich in his rewards and so bountifull in all his benefites and blessings so that in this if euer in any thing that Prouerb of the Poet is found most true Non libet exiguis rebus adesse Ioui As likewisein respect of vs that receiue the same he giueth this so great a guerdon euen to crowne vs with mercie and louing kindnesse in bestowing vpon vs of his owne gracious good liking more then we could expectare vel expetere require or request deserue or desire hope to haue or dare to receiue at his hands of his fauourable vouchasasing to make that account and regard of vs as to deeme and esteeme vs woorthy of no meaner a reward then of a crowne and that therefore because we haue attained to that dignitie to be called the sonnes of God by the election of the Father the redemption of the spirit whereby we euen loath and neglect al worldly things whatsoeuer and account them with Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as doung be they neuer so godly and glorious in the sight of flesh and bloud but onely to aime at the high price of the calling of God in Christ Iesus As whose heroicall spirits should disdaine al their temporanie and transitorie trash and trumperie toies and trifles but to crie and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Achilles whē he followed Hector in Homer and againe Neque enim leuia aut ludicra petuntur with Aeneas pursuing Turnus in Virgil for seeing all the faithfull are Eagles as the Scripture tearmeth them they must neither creepe on the earth with the Serpent nor sit on dunghils with the Rauens but soare aloft for their pray and where the carkasse is thither must they resort as our Sauiour in the Gospell euen to aspire and ascend vp where he himselfe is to sit with him in his throne For as it is in the Prouerb Aquila non capit muscas The Eagle will catch no flies that is regard little and light things but as he is the Prince of birds so will he be crowned as a King and Soueraigne But if we shall then receiue a crowne what manner of crowne shall it be Diuers sorts of crownes For there is diuers sorts of crownes there is Ciuica corona a crowne made of Oaken bowes which was giuen of the Romans to him that saued the life of any citizen in battel against his enemies Secondly Obsidionalis which was of grasse giuen vnto him that deliuered a town or citie from sicdge Thirdly Muralis which was of gold giuen vnto him that first scaled the wall of any towne or castle Fourthly Castrensis which was likewise of golde giuen vnto him that first entred the campe of the enemie Fiftly Naualis and that also of gold giuen vnto him that first by valour bourded the shippe of the enemy Sixtly Oualis which was of Mirtle which was giuen to those captaines that subdued any towne or Citie or that woon any fielde casily without losse or shedding of bloud Seuenthly and lastly Triumphalis which was of Laurell giuen to that chiefe Generall or Consul which after some notable victorie and conquest came home triumphing But all these or the most of them were rather garlands then crownes yea the verie best of those that were of gold rather coronets then crowns and if crowns rather crowns of honor then of glorie This crowne therefore that our chiefe Shepheard shall giue and the faithfull elders of the Church
the Iudge of the world to giue dome and definitiue sentence both of quicke and dead and that as it were in open court of generall Sessions or assises when as he shall render to euerie man according to his workes vengeance vpon the wicked and reward vpon the righteous destruction and damnation vnto the vngodly but soules health and saluation vnto the Godly Seuenthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Epiphanie not the first Epiphanie when Christs birth was manifested to the wise men of the East by the leading of a starre but when Christs glorie shall be reueiled by the finall eclipse of the sunne the darkning of the moone the falling of the stars and the shaking of the powers of heauen when as the sonne of man shall so come as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth vnto the West Mat. 24.27 and 29. when as the hearts of all men shal be made manifest Eightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of visitation when as Christ Iesus the great bishop of our soules shall visit the ample diocesse of his Church and shall call all the cleargie before him and cause them to render account of their cures and charges and shall make those shine as starres for euer and euer that shal winne soules vnto God but will remoue those candles out of their candlestickes or els the candlestickes out of their places which either giue no light or bad light or are either dropping candles by their lewd lothsome life or spitting candles by their troublesome and seditious doctrine Ninthly the day of appearing as in this place because that then our Sauiour the sunne of Righteousnesse shall sodenly pearse the cloudes and breake fourth in glorious brightnesse by the shining beames of his heauenly grace fulfilling the heartes of all the faithfull with the cheerefull light and comfortable heate of his diuine presence which haue lien long as it were in Iosephs colde yrons of aduersitie and affliction and languished in Daniels darke dungeon of despaire As the naturall sunne with his gladsome glee after the dismall darkenesse of the wearie night dispelleth and dispierceth the thicke clouds being long looked and longed for at the last appeareth to the chearing and cherishing of all mankind so called an appearing to the comfort and consolation of the good the godly that when they see the least glimpse and glimmering of him to peepe out or appeare they should then lift vp their heads and looke vp because their redemption is at hand for then and neuer till then shall the workeman receiue his wages the labourer in the Lords vineyard his pennie the faithfull seruant the rule of the Lords house the thriftie vser of his talents the gouernment of so many Cities the constant runner his propounded garland the spirituall souldier his promised crowne the little flocke their prepared kingdome the followers of Christ in their regeneration their thrones of iudgement Which time teacheth vs that we should not so doate as to dreame of any crowne throne or kingdome in this life or once to looke for any paradise heauen or other blessednesse in this world nor any time to hope for any happinesse before our chiefe shepheard doe appeare For as there is no heauenly paradise but in Abrahams bosome nor any pleasures for euermore but at the right hand of God nor any true ioies to be found but in the kingdome of heauen so are we not to enter into this paradise to enioy these pleasures and to be partakers of these ioies vntill the day of his appearing In the meane time therefore we must not with the husbandman looke to reape with ioy before we haue sown with tears nor to looke to liue with him before we haue died with him to raigne with him before we haue suffered with him to be glorisied with him before we haue beene crucified with him to sit with him on his right hand and on his left before we haue drunck of the cuppe that he hath druncke of and been baptized with the baptisme that he hath been baptized with to bee crowned with this crowne of glorie before we haue bin crowned with his crown of thorns to be found as fine gold for the treasure-house of the Lord vntill we bee purged and purified in the fire and fornace of affliction to be good corn in the Lords garner before we haue been sifted by Sathan Finally not to sit on his throne before we haue continued with him in his temptations For first must the Church be militant here vpon earth before it can be triumphant in heauen first must we suffer affliction before we can liue Godly in Christ Iesus and to conclude first must we be in tribulation before we can enter into the kingdome of heauen It followeth in the next words Yee shall receiue c. Now come we to the reward which our Apostle Peter promiseth in the person of our Sauiour Christ which is no light thing of small valew or meane account but the greatest gifte and richest reward that can be giuen and receiued a bountie beseeming the person of our Sauiour the bestower and worthy the partie that is partaker Kings and Princes when they liberally conferre gifts and rewards they giue not toies and trifles but great and royall guerdons such as are agreeable to their maicstic and magnificence Aristotle writes of his Magnanimus that he bestowes benefits vpon others freely and franckly and that herecompenceth aboue measure and proportion and that he will not vouchsafe to giue light little things but precious and peerelesse presents But howsoeuer the Philosopher frame such a man according to his owne fantasie as a Phaenix seldome or no whereto be found yet such a one the Scripture describeth God the Father and Christ Iesus his sonne and our Sauiour to be in all respects as first to be the giuer of all things and that liberally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not vpbraidingly and those that he doth giue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good gifts and perfect gifts Iames 2.17 farre surpassing in worth and worthinesse the gifts of any Palatines or Potentates Kings and Keysars Conquerors and Monerches in the world Pharo King of Egypt gaue noble gifts vnto Ioseph when he gaue him his owne signet to weare on his hand fine garments of linnen to put on his backe a chaine of golde to put about his necke and gaue him to wife a Princes daughter and made him Vice-roy of all his land and gaue him his best coach but one to sit in Gen. 41. Saul king of Israel honourably rewarded Dauid when as hee gaue him his royall robe and all his Princely garments vnto his sword his bow his girdle and made him lieutenant generall of all his forces and smally his owne daughter to wife 1. Sam. 18. The Queen of Saba gaue princely presents to Salomon when shee gaue him sixscore talents of golde and an exceeding quantitie of sweete odours and an infinit number of precious stones
which is not a follower of him and how to follow him euen in all his vertues as first in his humilitie as he commandeth vs himselfe Learne of me for I am meeke c. Mat. 11. the place mentioned before and euen so to humble and submit our selues one vnto another as if occasion require to doe the most base dueties and seruices that can be each to other as he himselfe did when he washed his Disciples feete and enioyned them to doe the like Saying Ioh. 13.14.15 If I then your Lord and Master haue washed your feete ye ought also to wash one anothers feete for I haue giuen you an example that ye should doe euen as I haue done to you Secondly in suffering aduersitie and bearing the crosse as he himselfe likewise warneth vs in the Gospell Saying He that will be my disciple let him take vp his crosse and follow me To which also Peter exhorteth vs saying For Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps 1. Pet. 2.21 Thirdly in loue as he himselfe likewise requireth Ioh. 15.12 This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you Finally least I dwell too long in this point in all the workes of charitie in all the deeds of mercie in all the fruits of the spirit that we may be holy as he is holy righteous as he is righteous and perfect as he is perfect although not aequaliter as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is altogether vnpossible yet similiter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as farre foorth as lieth in vs that we may grow vp to a perfect man euen vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 And thus much of the person of the chiefe Shepheard Now of the time when he will bestow and we shall receiue the reward mentioned in the words following that is when hee shall appeare There are two commings or appearings of this chiefe Shepheard The first in humilitie the second in maiestie the first in pouertie the second power the first grace the second glorie first to be iudged secondly to iudge the first to die the second to restore life the first is gone and past the second is comming and approacheth of which our Apostle in this place and not of the other Which second comming is called by diuers and sundrie names in the Scripture according to the diuers and sundry effects and fruits benefits and blessings which we shall reape and receiue thereby As sometimes it is called the kingdome of God as Luke 17.20 because then the spirituall heauenly and euerlasting kingdome shall be restored to Israel when as our Sauiour shall shew himselfe to be the king of heauen and earth and shall haue an Archangell sounding a trumpet before him as his herauld or harbinger and the rest of the Angels euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the author to the Heb. an whole troupe of heauenly souldiers which shall attend vpon him as his guard when as he shal make all the elect and faithfull his subiects and admit them free-denizens and fellowe citizens with the Saints yea when as they shall as heires and heires annexed with Christ possesse inherite and enioy that kingdome which God the Father prepared and gaue vnto them God the Sonne purchased and appointed vnto them and into the which God the holy Ghost recorded and enrowled them which kingdome hath these foure surpassing priuiledges and prerogatiues besides many other liberties immunities and franchises euen those foure last articles of our creed First the communion of Saints secondly remission of sinnes thirdly resurrection of the body and fourthly life euerlasting Cuius pax charitas lex veritas modus aeternitas as Austin the peace whereof is nothing but charitie c. Secondly it is called the day of Christs comming Mat. 24. and Luke 17. because that then our Sauiour shall not only be with vs in spiritual presence presidence as hitherto be hath beene since the ascension of him selfe and the descension of the holy Ghost but shall come both in person and spirit both in bodie soule both in his humanitie and in his diuinitie of which comming of his Austin hath these words Veniet tanquam rex gloriosus è Palatio tanquam sponsus speciosus èthalamo c. Thirdly the great day in many places of the Scriptures great in respect of the greatnesse of our Sauiour that then commeth the great King of glorie the great Lord of heauen and earth againe great in regarde of the great thinges that shall be done that day and finally great of it selfe greater then any of the feasts of the Iewes then the feasts of Tabernacles Penticost or Easter which were but shadowes and significations of this great day Yea greater then the great high and solemne holy daies of Christians greater then the day of the Incarnation Passion or Resurrection of our Sauiour Fourthly the latter day oftentimes in the Gospel wherein we must take our dernier adewe after which there shall be no other day which shall be neither artificiall day nor naturall day but an eternal day a day without night wherein shall be a light without darknesse wherein shall neither Sunne shine nor Moone giue light nor starre appeare but only the brightnesse of the glorie of God the last Sabaoth of Sabaoths the day of that euerlasting Iubile wherein all men shall rest from their labours receaue continuall quiet and liue in perpetuall peace for euer and euer Fiftly the time of cooling or refreshing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3.19 wherein after we haue sweat and swounke in this toilesome and troublesome world and beene scorched in the purgatorie of this life in the parching heate of persecution we shal be cooled and comforted refreshed and reuiued againe not only with the fresh holesome ayrie wind of the holy Ghost but with the sweete springing water of the mercie of God with which not only the tips of our tongues shall be cooled which was all that Hel-burnt Diues did desire but our whole bodies and soules shall be sprinckled with Sixtly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.5 the day of wrath and of the declaration or reuelation of the iust iudgement of God As first the day of wrath of the effect in respect of the wicked and reprobate who shall then finde and feele the Lord to poure out the terrible effects of his furious affection of anger vpon them when as he shall shewe himselfe to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 harde and austere as the slothfull seruant said of him euen a seuere iudge and a consuming fire as it is Heb. 12.20 out of Deut. 4.24 whose fierie wrath so hoatly inflamed against them they shall not be able then to quench no not with streames of drerie teares and flouds of bitter flittings And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Reuelation of the iust iudgement of God because that then our Sauiour will declare and reueile himselfe to be
rith and poore high and lowe euen Potentates and Princes Kings and Keysars Monarchs and conquerors ought not onely to stoupe for it but to bestirre themselues and endeuour with all might and maine and all meanes possible yea with all the outward parts of their bodies and inward powers of their minde to attaine vnto it And here to conclude let vs marke what Peter saith Ye shalreceeive this crown and this crowne of glorie yea and this incorruptible crowne of glorie but how not in way of merite and desart but as a grant and grace gift and guerdon which our Sauiour vouchsafeth to bestow vpon vs for so we reade in the conclusion of euerie Epistle belonging to the seuen Churches in promising vnto them crownes thrones and kingdomes he telleth them that he will giue and grant them and yet in a manner of reward when as Austin saith Coronat in nobis dona sua non bona nostra munera sua non merita nostra And thus much of these words and of this whole text c The Lord c. FINIS THE ANNOINTING OF CHRIST OR Christian ointment IOHN 2.20 But ye haue an ointment from him that is holy and ye know all things THis Text as it may appeare by the first words hereof is nothing else but an exceptiō or correction An exception or cor rection whereby our Apostle in this his Catholike Epistle seemeth to except and exempt those elect faithfull Christians vnto whom hee writeth from those of whom he speaketh in the two verses going before As if he had said They were Scismatickes which cut themselues off from the body of the Church for they went out from vs but they were not of vs but you haue fellowship with vs as in the 1. chap. 3. They reiected castawaies but you erected children and therfore tearmeth them not once but often by the tender name of babes Againe they Antichrists or Antichristians but you Christians and thereupon telleth them that they haue an ointment from him that is Holy finally that they seeme to know much and indeed know nothing but ye haue knowne all things The words thēselues being but one verse Diuision deuide themselues verie plainly as it is euident into two principall parts The first a cause in the former words But ye haue an ointment from him that is holy The second an effect of the same cause in the words following And or rather for ye haue known all things In the first part the cause are these foure things to be considered First an hauing But ye haue that is a benefit receiued and blessing bestowed Secondly who are they that haue the same ye those elect and faithful to whom Iohn writeth Thirdly what they haue an ointment Fourthly from whom euen from him that is holy In the secōd part the effect are to be noted two things first knowledge in generall secondly what kinde of knowledge a ful perfect and absolute knowledge of all things of all which in their due order as they lie in the text But ye haue Before I begin to entreat of the matter or materiall points belonging to my text mentioned before in my Diuision I think it requisite first to speake of the manner of this speech and of the exception and signification of the first word in the entrance of my text which giueth a light and vnderstanding to the whole verse following The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle here vseth which commonly is taken for a coniunction copulatiue and signifieth And but in this place it is otherwise to be accepted for an exceptiue particle and therefore verie well translated not et but ac by the Latin interpretors and faithfully Englished But making this whole sentence to be nothing els but an exception or exemption as is before declared And that this word is so vsually taken in the Scripture it is euident by many and manifest places as Mat. 11.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But wisedome is iustified of her children whereas our Sauiour maketh an exception against the blasphemous Iewes which ceased not to raile reuile him by the name of glutton wine-bibber Samaritane friend of Publicans and sinners as if our Sauiour had said exemptinhg others from them that although they condemned and contemned him so yet there were others euen his owne children that did iustifie and glorifie him likewise Mat. 12.39 An euill and adulterous generation seeke a signe in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no other signe shall be giuen them but the signe of the Prophet Ionas Againe Act. 20.28 in those words of Peter vnto Cornelius and his companie Ye know that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iewe to accōpany or come to one of another nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howsoeuer in the originall to be Englished but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or vncleane The like in many other places of the Scripture which I cannot stand to rehearse that I may proceede from the manner of this speech to the matter of my text The first of the foure things to be considered in the former principal part of this verse is an hauing where first we are to note that the Apostle here vseth not either the preterperfect or the future tence but onely the present saying not either you haue had or you shall haue but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habetis you haue wherein hee signifieth the happy state of those to whom he writeth in now possessing and presently enioying the heauenly blessing of the which hee here speaketh for had he said either you haue heretofore insinuating that their benefit past he had seemed to haue accused them of vnthankefulnesse and argued them of miserie Miserum enim est fuissE miserum habuisse for this were an vnhappy state for a man to haue had wealth but now to be disabled by pouertie or to haue had health but now to be diseased by sicknesse or finally to haue been endued with manie temporall gifts or spirituall graces and afterwards to be dispoiled and dispossessed of the same as the Troians once of themselues Fuimus Troes that sometimes they gloriously flourished although afterwards they were victoriously vanquished by the Grecians whereupon Virgil Nunc seges est vbi Troia fuit the soile where Troy diastand is now become corne-land and where of that olde Prouerb sere sapiunt Phryges that the Troians are wise afterwards So the Iewes at the first as Peter tearmeth them 1.2.9 out of Moises Exod. 19.6 were a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and the peculiar people of God but now by reason of their rebellion against God the reiecting of his Gospell the killing of his Prophets the crucifying of Christ and the persecuting of the Apostles The Iewes are become of children of the couenant heires of promise and seruants of Gods house as banished rebels exiled out of his kingdome vngratefull tenants thrust
were Aaron and his sonnes so called after they were so consecrated to minister before the Lord in the Priests office Exod. 30.30 And so are the Prophets of the Lord tearmed in those words of the Psalmist in the person of God himselfe Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme the latter being put exegeticos expounding the former as who to be the Lordes annointed euen the Prophets Psal 105.15 Euen so doth this inward pure and precious ointment of the holy ghost of the which the other outward holy oyle was a type and figure consecrate and sanctifie the chosen children of God to bee vnto him spirituall Kings Priests and Prophets as wee are oftentimes so tearmed in the Scriptures As first king and priest so called by Peter A chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2.9 out of the 19. Exod. 6. where the Lord promiseth to his people the children of Israel that he will make them a kingdome of Priests and an holy nation Againe by Iohn he hath made vs kings and priests vnto God euen his father Apoc. 1.6 As also Prophets as likewise Peter I will power out my spirit in the last daies vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie out of the Prophet Ioel 2.28 The elect and the faithfull shewing themselues to be such kings whē the kingdome of God is within them when Christ hath set vp his throne in their hearts and when they rule and raigne ouer sinne by the power of God the sword of the word and the Scepter of the spirit not onely making their appetite to be subiect to their reason and their will to their vnderstanding but also their outward man to be obedient to their inner man and the law of the members to the law of the spirit by macerating their lust and lustful bodies by mortifying their carnall and corrupt affections and by crucifying their fleshie and filthy lusts concupiscences and by giuing their members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse and not as seruants to vncleannes to commit iniquitie Rom. 6.19 And such priests declare they themselues to be when they offer vp those Christian spirituall sacrifices which God requireth of them As first that whole burnt offring which Paul commendeth in giuing vp their bodies a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is their reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12.1 And secondly the sacrifice of righteousnes which Dauid commandeth when he saith Offer the sacrifice of Righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord Psal 4.5 Which sacrifice of righteousnesse is twofold of the hart whereof the prophet A sorrowfull spirit is a sacrifice to God a broken and contrite heart Lord shalt thou not despise Ps 51.17 And of the hands of which the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased Heb. 13.16 And finally such Prophets doe they appeare to be when they search the Scripture as our Sauiour biddeth Ioh. 5.39 when they exhort one another daily while it is called to day as Paul warneth Heb. 3.13 and when they labour to growe vp more and more in grace and knowledge as Peter requireth 2. Epist 3.18 and last verse we see then how honourable holy and happy the estate of all the children of God is in being made partakers of this heauenly ointment in not onely bringing forth the former blessed fruits and effects as thereby to be made both valiant Champions and victorious conquerours ouer our spiritual and ghostly enemies and contraries to be refreshed and eased in the middest of our afflictions aduersities to be healed and helped of all the outward sicknesses of our bodies and inward sinnes of our soules to present vs as a sweet smelling sauour or odour in the nostrels of the Lord to giue vs a glad heart and a cheerefull countenance both before God and man The spirituall effect of this heauenly ointment and to consecrate vs Kings Priests and Prophets vnto God but also in bestowing vpon vs so high a dignitie priuiledge and prerogatiue as to make vs the elect vessels of such a diuine liquor whereby we may be worthily tearmed not the gally Pots for that is too base a name but rather the Allabaster boxes of so precious an ointment yea and to be no siluer shrines for that is too meane a mettall for such an excellent matter and that not of Danae the Image that came downe from Iupiter but indeede the golden Temples and Tabernacles of the holy ghost the spirit of God which discended downe from Iehoua himselfe This being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which first our Sauiour himselfe is called Christ and we next his members tearmed of the same Christians that glorious title wherein we haue cause to ioie and reioice for this is that precious ointment which Dauid figuratiuely prophesied should first be powred vpon Aarons head which is Christ and then fall downe vpon his Disciples and Apostles which were the goodly ornaments of the golden age of the Church Psal 133. and the beard as it were of Aarons body annexed to the Head Christ and lastly which ran downe to the skirts of his cloathing euen to the Preachers and teachers of the gospell which liue in this last age of the Church which are as it were the hemme of Aarons garment euen the lowest and least members of the Church and last ministers of Christ And not only vnto them but vnto all the number of the elect and faithfull in generall as being purfles and appurtenances of Aarons body the church and partaking as being the communion of Saints in proportion according to the measure of Gods gifts and graces of this holy and heauenly ointment The duetie therefore of vs all and euerie one of vs is this so to prepare our selues as that wee possesse our vessels in holinesse and purenesse As the Apostle warneth vs euen to purge our hearts from all Hypocrisie to cleanse our soules from all iniquitie and to purifie our mindes from all impietie that being washed with the water of regeneration perfumed with the incense of faith and seasoned with the salt of grace and sweetned with the fruits of charitie wee may be found fit vessels and sweet receptacles for so soueraigne an ointment For as new wine as our Sauiour saith in the gospell must be put in new vessels least that both perish so must this precious liquor be powred into new and pure vessels that both may be preserued For euen as the dead flies as Salomon saith doth cause to stincke and putrisie the ointment of the Apothecarie Eccl. 10.1 So doe the carnall affections of our mortall bodies corrupt and contaminate this spirituall ointment of the holy ghost by making it to be vnto vs not the sweete odour of life vnto life but the bitter sauour of death vnto death and to preuent it rather to our destruction and damnation then to conuert it to our soules health and
being farre greater then was in the former times either in the prophets or in the multitude And therefore this holy host of God euer after Christs manifestation in the flesh adioyned thēselues vnto him as his guard offered their seruice vnto him as his ministers alwaies attended vpon him as his seruants from the beginning of his humiliation and inauguration vntill his heauenly exaltation and glorification being not only messengers aboute his natiuitie publishers of his birth choristers of the glad tidings thereof as it is before declared but also ministers vnto him not at but after his temptation least by their helpe he should seeme to haue vanquished Sathan as he might haue had legions of Angels at his death and passion as he himselfe said but he would not because he would be destitute of all heauenly aide and humaine succour that he might humble himselfe to the death of the crosse As he had the same ministring spirites proclaimers of his resurrectiō vnto Marie Mag dalen and the other women to Peter the rest of the Apostles as finally he thē had heauenly souldiers his waiters attenders at his ascension doing him homage and giuing him honour shewing all seruisable dutie towards him in al respects at all times and in all places being faine of their office and forwarde to imploye their diligence about him especially the greate sauiour and redeemer of the world when as they are glad of a meaner charge euen to be ministring spirits to mē which are heires appointed vnto saluation 1. Heb. 14. And here note what greate accoūt and highe regard the blessed āgels are of in the sight of God in causing and chosinge them to be the especiall witnesses of his heauenly and holy misteries aboue all other And therefore finde we so oftē in the scriptures such honorable mention of them as that the holy ghost vouchsafeth to name and number them nexte and immediatly vnto God the father and Christ Iesus his sonne as in that place Luke 10. He that confesseth me before men him will I confesse before my father and his Angels c. and 1. Tim. 5.21 I charge thee before God and the lord Iesus Christ and the elect angels that thou obserue these things c. And finally Apocalips 1.4 grace be with you and peace from him which was which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne And in diuers other places of the Gospel where they are adioined with God or associate with Christ as copartners with them of their glorie but are ascited and appealed vnto as witnesses of their grace The vse that we are to make hereof is this euen fully faithfully to be leeue that to be true and most true as the which no aduersarie in the world shall euer be of power to conuince no heretique sufficiēt to gaine say nor against the which the gates of Hell shall euer be able to preuaile because we haue the sure certaine Testimonie of the angels themselues in confirmation of the soundnesse of this doctrine so that we ought not to misdoute or misdeeme the same with the vnbeleeuing Gentiles and Iewes except we wil be as incredulous as the Saduces themselues who thought that there were neither spirites not Angels contrarie to many manifest places of the scripture Preached vnto the Gentiles As an earthly Kinge and prince at the firste inauguration of his person into his royall estate and gouerment doth obserue this course first to gather together the nobles and the peeres of the lande before him to appeare and shewe themselues and to require of them their due and duetifull homage fealtie and allegiance and then afterwardes they to accompanie him to be publickly proclamed before all the people as right lawfull inheritour to the croune and kingdome and then of all his subiects for their parte to be so accepted accounted and regarded and so lastly to aduance himselfe in to his seate of honour chaire of estate there to be most gloriously enthonized crowned and annointed with all princely pompe maiestie Euen so our heauenly King of Kings Christ Iesus in the degrees of the exaltation of his person after his manifestation in the flesh and iustification in the spirit which was as it were his first inauguration into his spirituall kingdome in the progresse of his proceedinges was first enterueiwed and contemplated of the Angels his most noble creatures powers and principallities who not only shewed vnto him diuine reuerēce obediēce but also did vnto him heauēly honour and homage After which it next followeth that he should in their presence be publickely preached vnto the Gentils to all the people nations and languages of the earth as to his people and subiects then to be beleeued in the world that is intertained with all faith and fealtie and imbraced with all loue and loialtie in all the corners quarters of the world and so finally to be receaued vp into glory that is ascended vp into the highest heauens ther to sit in the throne of his maiestie These three thinges being the three last branches of this tree of truth which we are to entreate of in the same order and with the semblable breuitie as we haue done the former partes of this my texte In the first whereof which we haue in hand are to be considered three thinges who what to whome for the first it is w euident who euen he of whom we haue altogether spoken before the matter of this misterie of godlinesse the sappe of this tree of truth the subiect of my text the contentes of the Gospell the lords annointed Gods Christ God manifested in the flesh Christ incarnate Iesus incorporate on earth and consecrate in heanen God humiliated man exalted God gracing man and man glorifying God and what Euen first manifested secondly iustified and thirdly seene fourthly preached As greate a worke of wonder as any of the rest in all respectes first for the person so base so vile so miserable a man the sonne of man a worme and noe mā to be proclamed a soueraigne sauiour an heauenly king an omnipotent God incredible to be beleeued impossible to be perfourmed in the eyes of fleash and blood that a woorme should saue al men that the seede of a woman should bruse a serpents heade that the dewe of the birth which was of the wombe of the morning should droune the greate Leuiathan withall his dragons in the redde sea intollerable to be suffered in policie for the greate states and potentates of the world for a poore babe who was faine to haue an Inne for his lodging a stable for his chamber a cracth or manger for his cradle to be worshipped of honorable estates haue offered vnto him gould mirrhe and franken cense in signes and significatiō of his three fould office that he was a royall kinge an holie Preist and an annointed prophet yea for a carpenter or carpenters sonne as he